The fourth edition of Atlas of the Human Brain presents the anatomy of the brain at macroscopic and microscopic levels, featuring different aspects of brain morphology and topography. This greatly enlarged new edition provides the most detailed and accurate delineations of brain structure available. It includes features which assist in the new fields of neuroscience – functional imaging, resting state imaging and tractography. Atlas of the Human Brain is an essential guide to those working with human brain imaging or attempting to relate their observations on experimental animals to humans. Totally new in this edition is the inclusion of Nissl plates with delineation of cortical areas (Brodmann’s areas), the first time that these areas have been presented in serial histological sections.

The contents of the Atlas of the brain in MNI stereotaxic space has been extensively expanded from 143 pages, showing 69 levels through the hemisphere, to 314 pages representing 99 levels.

In addition to the fiber-stained (myelin) plates, we now provide fifty new (Nissl) plates covering cytoarchitecture. These are interdigitated within the existing myelin plates of the stereotaxic atlas.

All photographic plates now represent the complete hemisphere.

All photographs of the cell- and fiber-stained sections have been transformed to fit the MNI-space.

Major fiber tracts are identified in the fiber-stained sections.

In the Nissl plates cortical delineations (Brodmann’s areas) are provided for the first time.

The number of diagrams increased to 99. They were now generated from the 3D reconstruction of the hemisphere registered to the MNI- stereotaxic space. They can be used for immediate comparison between our atlas and experimental and clinical imaging results.

Parts of cortical areas are displayed at high magnification on the facing page of full page Nissl sections. Images selected highlight those areas which are thought to correspond with those published by von Economo and Koskinas (1925).

A novel way of depicting cortical areal pattern is used: The cortical cytoarchitectonic ribbon is unfolded and presented linearly. This linear representation of the cortex enables the comparison of different interpretations of cortecal areas and allows mapping of activation sites.

Low magnification diagrams in the horizontal (axial) and sagittal planes are included, calculated from the 3D model of the atlas brain.